Journal article
The Importance of Older Family Members in Providing Social Resources and Promoting Cancer Screening in Families With a Hereditary Cancer Syndrome
The Gerontologist, Vol.51(6), pp.833-842
12/2011
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnr049
PMCID: PMC3220664
PMID: 21562055
Abstract
Purpose:
This study evaluates the role of older family members as providers of social resources within familial network systems affected by an inherited cancer susceptibility syndrome.
Design and Methods:
Respondents who previously participated in a study that involved genetic counseling and testing for Lynch syndrome and their family network members were invited to participate in a onetime telephone interview about family communication.
Results:
A total of 206 respondents from 33 families identified 2,051 social relationships (dyads). Nineteen percent of the respondents and 25% of the network members were older (≥60 years). Younger respondents (≤59 years) were more likely to nominate older network members as providers of social resources than younger members: instrumental support (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68), emotional support (OR = 1.71), help in crisis situation (OR = 2.04), and dependability when needed (OR = 2.15). Compared with younger network members, older members were more likely to be listed as encouragers of colon cancer screening by both younger (OR = 3.40) and older respondents (OR = 1.90) independent of whether support exchange occurred in the relationship.
Implications:
Engaging older network members in health interventions to facilitate screening behaviors and emotional well-being of younger members within families affected by inherited conditions may be beneficial. Findings can be used to empower older individuals about their important social roles in enhancing the well-being of their family members and to inform younger individuals about their older relatives’ resourcefulness to facilitate positive social interactions.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The Importance of Older Family Members in Providing Social Resources and Promoting Cancer Screening in Families With a Hereditary Cancer Syndrome
- Creators
- Sato Ashida - School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TennesseeDonald W Hadley - Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MarylandAndrea F Goergen - Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MarylandKaley F Skapinsky - Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MarylandHillary C Devlin - Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MarylandLaura M Koehly - Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Gerontologist, Vol.51(6), pp.833-842
- DOI
- 10.1093/geront/gnr049
- PMID
- 21562055
- PMCID
- PMC3220664
- NLM abbreviation
- Gerontologist
- ISSN
- 0016-9013
- eISSN
- 1758-5341
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/2011
- Academic Unit
- Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive); Community and Behavioral Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984063117302771
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